Prologue

The woman’s cobalt eyes scanned the area around her in a frantic worry, but the void of darkness prevented her eyes from seeing anything. The Everfree Forest, a land cloaked with sinister danger and eternal darkness. She should have heeded her sister’s warnings. Why had she entered in the first place? The thought made her resentful, like she has been for days. Jealousy swelled within her, and her heavy breathing filled the humid air. She looked up at the sun, only to find that the canopy of trees

This is just the prologue, and not actually the first chapter.

shielded all light. If not even the brilliant celestial sun could penetrate the barrier, then the luminous moon wouldn’t stand a chance.

‘The night is always welcome in the Everfree,’ the slithering of the plants hissed. The woman gave a frightened yelp. Everywhere she went, she always had either dominance or protection. The sun watched her by day, the moon by night. She was the moon, the Princess of the Night.

“S-show yourself!” she gasped, struggling to keep her regal composure.

‘You are not in control here,’ the voices coaxed. ‘We only serve one master, and that is the eternal darkness of the forest.”

“I, Princess Luna of Canterlot, command you to listen!” The woman trembled in fear, but she refused to let it get the better of her. “Or Celestia will…” The worst punishment for a criminal anywhere in Equestria was banishment to the Everfree Forest. That wouldn’t scare these monsters into submission.

‘Your threats do not scare us, Princess,’ the voices said. ‘Not even Celestia can stop the forces of the Everfree.’

“What do you want from us?” Luna shrieked. If only she hadn’t run into the Everfree!

‘Oh, we only want what you desire,’ the voices said. ‘We want to be recognized for what we do.’

“That is not what I want.” Luna crossed her arms and turned away from the voices. But they were everywhere.

‘Don’t you resent Celestia for having more power than you? Do you not care that all mankind relishes in her daylight, while they shun your night?’

“Well…” Luna bit her lip.

The voices let out a triumphant chuckle. ‘We know what you think, because you are one of us.’

“I am not!”

‘Don’t you want the world to appreciate your night? The one domain you can claim as your own. Admit it, Princess. You are proud of your work, yet you have no one to love it.’

Luna stayed silent.

‘Let us give you a chance to prove yourself. Let the moon stay out for a little while longer, and the humans will see your beauty.’

The voices seemed to have a reasonable point, Luna noted. However, there must have been a catch to it. “Don’t trust the voices of the Everfree,” she mumbled to herself. “You will be misguided.”

‘But what will we do to you?’ the voices asked. ‘What would we gain from this? All we want is your best interest. You came in here for our guidance, so you may as well listen to it.’

“N-no!” Luna plugged her ears to block out the voices, but they continued to tempt her with the irresistible offer.

‘It is just one day. Celestia will understand. You can rule the forest and all in it. We are far greater than Equestria. Join us, Mistress.”

Luna ran the way she came, tripping over the tangle of wildlife coursing along the forest floor. She was lost, cut off from her sister. The darkness was relentless, refusing to let her leave and forcing her to submit.

“Celestia!” she cried out in vain. And then she succumbed to the darkness in the Everfree.